Shoe form



Nov. 3, .1936. w. J. DE wlTTy SHOE FORM Filed oct. s, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l NOW. 3, 1936.A W 1 DE WITT 2,059,727

SHOE FORM Filed Oct. 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 3, 1936 Y, ses

FICE

SHOE FORM tion of New York Application October 3, 1935, Serial No. 43,352

17 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in shoe forms and more particularly to devices hereinafter designated as shoe caps, by which the top openings of the shoes are closed to improve the appearance of the shoes when on display and the present application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 5,562, filed February 8, 1935.

Shoe caps of various types have been on the market. l-Ieretofore they have been open to the objection that they do not stay in place but ten-d to slip down into the shoe. This is due to the fact that the frictional resistance presented by the heel counter is not suiiicient to support the caps properly at the heel end.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a shoe cap having supporting means by which the cap is held in position. Another object of this invention is to provide a shoe cap adapted to be removably but securely located in the top opening of a shoe, such cap preferably but not necessarily coacting with a shoe form inserted in the shoe for the purpose of plumping out the side walls thereof. A further object of this invention is to provide a shoe cap supported in the top opening of the shoe by the coaction of a shoe form in the shoe and means carried by the shoe cap.

These and other objects will appear from a consideration of the following description and of the drawings which form a part thereof and in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of a shoe provided with a shoe cap em- ?,5 bodying one form of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of the shoe cap shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, of the rear portion of a shoe provided with a shoe cap embodying another form of this invention;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the shoe cap shown in Fig. 3, a portion being shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of such shoe cap;

Figs. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views illustrating various types of reinforcing straps;

Fig. 8 is another view similar to Fig. l of a shoe provided with a shoe cap embodying a third form of this invention, the cap support serving also to plump out the toe of the shoe;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 of a shoe provided, in addition to the cap shown in Fig. 8 with a shoe form of a Well known type; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional View similar to Figs. 6 and 7 illustrating the reinforcing strap construction employed in the shoe cap shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

The shoe iii is provided with a shoe form consisting of a toe member il and a back part wire l2 serving in the well known manner to plump out the shoe and cause it to present a pleasing appearance.

Inserted in the top opening of the shoe is a shoe cap l5 comprising a flanged cover plate iii, a pair of curved Wires il secured to and depending from the cover plate i6, a prong wire i3, and a knob i9. The knob i9 is secured in position by a leather washer 2li which acts as a nut, and the upper end of the prong Wire i8 is inserted between the Washer 2li and the plate l5. The knob thus acts not only to facilitate the positioning and removing of the cap, but also to secure the prong wire I8 to the cover plate i6. The wires il are secured at their ends to the side flanges of the plate in any suitable manner, such as rivets 2i. The intermediate portions of the wires are preferably flattened to rest upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe, as shown in Fig. l.

The shoe cap 25 shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 com- 2 prises a flanged cover plate 26, a curved spring wire 2l and a knob 28. For the purpose of ornamentation the top of the cover plate 2E is shown depressed to provide a recess 29 which receives a filler sheet 30. The sheet 30 is secured in the recess 29 in any Way desired and is here shown secured by rivets 3l and the knob 28. One end of the wire 2l is attached to the cover plate 26 by the knob 23 and the rear rivet 3l and the other end is free, terminating in a loop 32 at the forward end of the cover plate (see Fig. 4). The intermediate portion of the wire is flattened so that when it is in position it rests on the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be noted that with both forms of shoe caps the flange at the forward end of the cover plate is inserted between the upper portion of the toe member il and the cone of the shoe. The curved wires il of the shoe cap l5 and the spring wire 2l of the shoe cap 25 both rest firmly upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of a shoe and thus coact with the toe portion of the shoe form to hold the caps in position. The looped free end of the spring wire 2l bears against the inner face of the toe member so that the latter is yieldably clamped between the end of the spring wire and the forward end of the cover plate, whereby the latter is held in position. The prong wire I8 of the shoe cap l5 provides a supplemental support, the point of the wire penetrating the surface of the inner bottom of the shoe and further resisting any tendency of the cap to shift from its desired position. If desired, this prong may be omitted, and in such case the shoe cap l5 will be supported upon the wires Il and the toe member Il in the same manner as is the shoe cap 25 supported.

Some diiculty in holding the side walls of the cap in close contact with the sides of the shoe has been experienced. In order to avoid this, straps are mounted across the cap midway between the front and rear ends thereof. Fig. 6 shows a spring strap 40 secured 1n position by the screw knob 28, the ends of the strap bearing yieldably against the inner walls to which, if desired, the ends of the strap may be secured. Fig. 7 shows a strap 4i extending directly across the cap, the ends of the strap being upturned and rigidly secured to the inner walls. The shoe cap 50 comprises a flanged cover plate 5I and a looped spring strap 52 secured at its ends to the cover plate by screws 53 or other means. The strap 52 is of such length that when the shoe cap is positioned in the shoe 54 it will enter the toe of the shoe and bear against the heel counter thereof as well as rest upon the slip sole and heel pad. The strap therefore serves not only to support the cover plate 5I in the top opening of the shoe but also to plump out the toe of the shoe so that a shoe form may be omitted.

When a shoe form is desired the strap 52 will enter the interior thereof as` shown in Fig. 9 which illustrates the combination of a shoe cap and shoe form. The shoe form may be of any desired construction and is here shown as comprising a toe member 55 and a looped back part wire 56. The forward end of the cover plate rests upon the upper portion of the toe member between it and the cone of the shoe. 'Ihe toe member of the shoe form supports the wall of the shoe toe more completely than does the strap 52 alone.

The shoe cap 50 also includes a knob 5l by which it can be easily handled and a cross strap 58 of spring steel or suitable material cupped as shown in Fig. 10 so that it bears at its lower edges against the side walls of cover plate and holds the latter yieldably against the sides of the shoe. The knob secures the cross plate 58 in place and also engages one end of the strap 52. The top of the cover plate 5I is provided with a recess 59 which receives a filler sheet 60 secured in position in any suitable way as by the knob 5l and strap fastening means 53.

While various embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that I am not limited thereto, and that other embodiments` may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe having a shoe form therein, comprising a flanged cover plate, the forward end of which rests upon the shoe form, and means carried by the cover plate for supporting the shoe cap independently of the shoe form, such means comprising a pair of curved wires each secured at both ends to the flange of the cover plate at either side thereof and resting at their intermediate portions upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe.

2. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe having a shoe form therein, comprising a flanged cover plate, the forward end of which rests upon the shoe form, and means carried by the cover plate for supporting the shoe cap independently of the shoe form, such means comprising a pair of curved wires secured at their ends to the cover plate and a prong wire carried by said plate, said curved wires resting upon and said prong wire penetrating the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe.

3. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe having a shoe form therein, comprising a flanged cover plate, the forward end of which rests upon the shoe form, and means carried by the cover plate for supporting the shoe cap independently of the shoe form, such means comprising a spring wire secured at both ends to said cover plate and resting intermediate its ends upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe.

4. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe having a shoe form therein, comprising a flanged cover plate, the forward end of which rests upon the shoe form, and means carried by the cover plate for supporting the shoe cap independently of the shoe form, such means comprising a spring wire secured at one end to said cover plate and resting intermediate its ends upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe, the other end of the wire being free and coacting with the forward end of the cover plate to clamp the shoe form yieldably therebetween.

5. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe comprising a cover plate, means supported by said cover plate and adapted, when the cap is in the closing position, to rest upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe, said cover plate having a recess therein, a filler sheet in said recess, and a knob attached to the cover plate through the ller sheet for facilitating the positioning or removing of the cap.

6. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe comprising a flanged cover plate, means supported by said cover plate and adapted when the cap is in the closing position to rest upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe, and a reinforcing strap extending across the cover plate midway between the ends thereof and contacting at its ends against the side walls of the cover plate.

7. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe comprising a flanged cover plate, means supported by said cover plate and adapted when the cap is in the closing position to rest upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe, a knob, and a reinforcing spring strap extending across the cover plate midway between the ends thereof, said strap being secured to the cover plate by said knob, the ends of the strap bearing yieldably against the inner walls of the cover plate.

8. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe comprising a flanged cover plate, means supported by said cover plate and adapted when the cap is in the closing position to rest upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe, said means consisting of a spring wire, a reinforcing strap extending across the cover plate midway between the ends thereof, and a knob for securing said wire and said strap to said cover plate.

9. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe comprising a flanged cover plate, means supported by said cover plate and adapted when the cap is in the closing position to rest upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe, said means consisting of a spring wire, a reinforcing spring strap extending across the cover plate midway between the ends thereof, and a knob for securing one end of said wire and the middle of said strap to said cover plate, the ends of the strap bearing yieldably against the inner side walls of the cover plate.

10. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe comprising a flanged cover plate and means supported by the cover plate and adapted when the cap is in the closing position to rest upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe, said means consisting of a looped spring strap secured at its ends to the cover plate, the strap being of such length that when the cap is in such position it will enter and plump out the forepart of the shoe.

11. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe comprising a flanged cover plate and means supported by the cover plate and adapted when the cap is in the closing position to rest upon the slip sole and/or heel pad of the shoe, said means consisting of a looped spring strap secured at its ends to the cover plate, the strap being of such length that when the cap is in such position it will enter and plump out the forepart of the shoe and will bear against the inner sole and the heel counter of the shoe whereby it serves both as a support for the cover plate and as a shoe form.

12. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe having a shoe form therein including a toe member by which the walls of the shoe forepart are plumped out, said cap comprising a anged co-ver plate and a looped spring strap secured to the cover plate and adapted when the Cap is in the closing position to rest upon the inner sole of the shoe and to extend into and bear against the toe member of the shoe form.

13. A shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe having a shoe form therein including a toe member by which the walls of the shoe forepart are plumped out, said cap comprising a flanged cover plate and a looped spring strap secured to the cover plate and adapted when the cap is in the closing position to rest upon the inner sole of the shoe and to extend into and bear against the toe member of the shoe form, the forward end of the cover plate resting upo-n the upper portion of the toe member between it and the cone of the shoe.

14. The combination with a shoe form, of a shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe having said shoe form therein, said cap comprising a anged cover plate the forward end of which is inserted between the upper portion of the shoe form and the cone of the shoe and is supported by the shoe form, and means carried by the cover plate for further supporting the shoe cap independently of the shoe form.

l5. The combination with a shoe form, of a shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe having said shoe form therein, said cap comp-rising a ilanged cover plate the forward end of which is inserted between the upper portion of the sho-e form and the cone of the shoe and is supported by the shoe form, and means carried by the cover plate for further supporting the shoe cap independ-ently of the shoe form, such means resting directly upon the slip sole or heel pad or both of the shoe.

16. The combination with a shoe form, of a shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe having said shoe form therein, said cap cornprising a flanged cover plate the forward end of which is inserted between the upper portion of the shoe form and the cone of the shoe and is supported by the shoe form, and means for further supporting the shoe cap independently of the shoe form, such means comprising a pair of curved wires carried by the cover plate.

17. The combination with a shoe form, of a shoe cap for closing the top opening of a shoe having said shoe form therein, said cap comprising a flanged cover plate the forward end of which is inserted between the upper portion of the shoe form and the cone of the shoe, and means for supporting the shoe cap independently of the shoe form, such means comprising a spring wire secured at one end to said cover plate and resting intermediate its ends upon the slip sole or heel pad or both of the shoe.

WILLIAM J. DE WITT. 

